Waterproof match package



March 3, 1964 F. EHRSAM WATERPROOF MATCH PACKAGE Filed July 17, 1962 FIG-J. 13 12 INVENTOR;

FREDERICK EHRSAM ATTYS.

United States Patent 3,123,205 WATERPROOF MATCH PACKAGE Frederick Ehrsam, Rte. 662, Oley, Pa. Filed July 17, 1962, Ser. No. 210,412 4 Claims. (Cl. 206-33) The present invention relates to the waterproof packaging of matches. More particularly, the invention pro- 'vides a waterproof match package containing all the elements necessary for ignition of a match by housing the igniting elements in a novel tubular container with an upper cap portion and a lower cap portion which screw together and insure the dryness of the igniting elements in the container even after prolonged immersion in water.

The invention described herein has been designed specifically for such people as miners and hunters or persons such as downed pilots or woodsmen who are exposed to the elements.

Prior to the present invention, such persons were normally supplied with waterproof matches in any suitable container. Such matches may be ignited after being wet, but they require the use of a dry striking surface. Thus, prior to this invention a person exposed to the elements desiring to ignite a match to start a fire, would have to find a dry striking surface upon which the match could be struck. Under wet conditions, which would include conditions of extreme humidity such as that found in dense jungles in the torrid zone, a dry striking surface is diflicult if not impossible to find. This invention, on the other hand, provides the Woodsman or downed pilot with a water-tight match package containing all the elements necessary for ignition of a dry match.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a package which, if dropped into water will not sink, but because of the built-in positive buoyancy will float, thus facilitating easy recovery.

Further, a major problem where it was attempted to provide a waterproof container for matches was the difficulty to preserve the water-tightness of the match holding container. It has been found that repeated opening and closing of conventional containers Wears out the sealing means for maintaining the container water-tight. In the present invention, novel sealing means coupled with the type of material used, for all practical purposes, eliminates this problem.

With the foregoing in mind, a primary object of this invention is to provide a novel package having means for sealing the container in order to keep it Water-tight even after repeated openings and closings.

Another object of this invention is to provide a container which houses a striking surface and keeps the striking surface dry.

Another object of this invention is to provide a container which is readily adaptable for receiving either standard kitchen matches of safety matches.

Another object of this invention is to provide a package which is easy to carry and is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a profile view of the invention with a section of the package cut away, showing a portion of the interior elements in place;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the various elements illustrated in FIG. 1, showing the upper cap portion of the container in partial section, the inner elements in partial section, and the lower cap portion of the container in partial section;

3,123,205 Patented Mars 3, 1964 FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the portion encircled at 3 in FIG. 1 wherein the container is in the closed or sealed position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 wherein the container is in a partially closed position.

Referring now to the drawing, the present invention illustrated therein comprises a tubular container 10 with an upper cap portion 10a and a lower cap portion 10b. Inside the container 10 there is a match-striking surface 13, a spacer 14, and a plurality of matches 22.

The upper cap portion 10a in the illustrated embodiment is a substantially cylindrical tubular body portion 18 closed at one end 23 and open at the other, the body portion 18 terminating in an annular radial face portion 16 and an axially extending depending skirt 19 which is internally threaded at 11 and having a terminal lip 21.

The lower cap portion 10b is also a substantially cylindrical tubular body portion 26 sealed at one end 24 having an axially extending skirt 2'5 with external threads 12 terminating in a flat annular face 17 at its open end. At the base of the external threads 12 there is a shoulder 21} whose diameter is slightly larger than the major diameter of the external threads 12.

In the operation of the device, the upper cap portion 10a is screwed onto the lower cap portion 10b, the external threads 12 having been formed so as to mate with the internal threads 11, the lower cap portion 10b telescopes into the upper cap portion so that the fiat annular face 17 abuts against and forms a water-tight seal with the annular radial face portion 16 of the upper cap portion ltla. Also, as may be seen in FIG. 3, as the depending skirt 19 is screwed over the external thread 12, the shoulder 20, which has a diameter slightly larger than the internal diameter of the terminal lip 21, engages and radially expands the terminal lip 21 of the depending skirt 19. Thus, the terminal lip 21 of the depending skirt 19' is deformed outwardly by the shoulder 20 to provide an additional water-tight seal.

As may be recognized, in order to cause the terminal lip 21 of the depending skirt 19- to deform in such a manner as to cause a seal when riding over the shoulder 20, the terminal lip 21 is constructed of a resilient material. In the present embodiment the entire container 10 is constructed of polyethylene, which enables easy one piece molding or casting of the upper and lower cap portions. The use of a material such as polyethylene which is resilient but has high wear resistance, also helps alleviate the wear problems at the seals.

Inside the container 1% is a removable striking surface 13 and a spacer 14-. In the present embodiment and as illustrated in FIG. 2, the striking surface 13 is an openended hollow cylindrical element which is of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the lower cap portion 10b yet of sufficient length to protrude from the lower cap portion lu l) to enable ignition of a match on the exposed portion of the striking surface 13 when the upper cap portion 10a is removed, without removing the striking surface.

Because the container 10 is water-tight when closed and constructed of a light material such as polyethylene, suflicient air is entrapped within the container 10' to give the package positive buoyancy causing it to float accidentally dropped into the water.

As has been explained, the container is made watertight by the utilization of double seals. Experience has shown that with just one means for sealing a container to keep it water-tight, repeated opening and closing of the container prevents maintenance of a water-tight seal by either allowing foreign elements to become entrapped between the mating surfaces causing small openings through which water may enter, or just due to excessive wear. Further, with just one sealing means located at the inside terminus of the threads, water has a tendency to seep up the threads to the sealing means and then only by carefully separating the upper cap portion from the lower cap portion, will water, which is entrapped between the external and internal threads, be prevented from wetting the contents of the container. Thus, by using two seals at 27 and 28, one on the inside terminus of the threads and one at the outside terminus of the external threads 12, water is prevented from seeping up to the inside sealing means which eliminates the possibility of wetting the inside of the container when separating the upper cap portion 10a from the lower cap portion 10b.

in the present embodiment, the seal formed at 27 is radial while the seal formed at 28 is axial. The reason for making one seal radial and the other axial is to eliminate the necessity for close tolerances as would be the case if, for example, both sea-ls were radially formed.

The striking surface is made removable to facilitate insertion or removal of the spacer 14 when desired. Also, in the event that the exposed section of the striking surface 13 which protrudes from the lower cap portion 1% is worn from use, the striking surface 13 may be inverted to allow a fresh section to be exposed.

At the end of the striking surface 13 which rests on the inside of the sealed end 24 of the lower cap portion 'lllb, is a removable spacer 14 which in the present embodiment is, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a closed cylinder of slightly smaller diameter than the cylindrical striking surface 13, and fits therein. T he spacer 14 when in place is of an axial length sufficient to allow shorter safety matches 22 to rest on the spacer and project from the striking surface 13 thus facilitating removal of a match from the container 10 when the upper cap portion llla is removed. Alternatively, if kitchen type matches are used in the package, the spacer '14 may be removed, and since kitchen matches are longer than safety matches and will project from the striking surface 13, they also may be easily removed from the lower cap portion 101) when the upper cap portion Ella is removed.

In the illustrated embodiment shorter length safety matches 22 are used, the heads of which have been coated with a thin film of water repellant plastic to render them waterproof. As the match is drawn across the striking surface 13, the coated plastic is worn through, exposing the combustible match head to the striking surface 13. :The reason for the matches being waterproofed is to prevent loss of use, if after removal from the container all they inadvertently get wet.

Thus, the invention provides a convenient and simple water-tight package which allows removal of a dry match and instant ignition on a dry striking surface, all contained within one small package.

Although the invention has been described with a cer tain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A waterproof match package comprising in combination a tubular waterproof container having an upper cap portion and a lower cap portion, said upper cap portion being closed at one end and open at the other, said lower cap portion being closed at one end and open at the other, said open ends of said upper and lower cap portions being adapted to telescopically engage, each of said upper and lower cap portions having an axial cylindrical engaging surface and a substantially radial annular engaging surface at opposite terminal ends respectively of said telescopically engaging portions so that upon telescopic engagement of said upper cap portion with said lower cap portion an axial seal is formed between said axial cylindrical engaging surfaces and a radial seal is formed between said substantially radial annular engaging surfaces, said radial and axial seals being at opposite terminal ends of said telescopically engaging portions, at least one of said telescopically engaging portions being composed of a resilient material, an open ended replaceable hollow tube telescopically fitted in said container and having an outer striking surface, said tube being of suificient length to project from said lower cap portion when one end of said tube rests on the closed end of said lower cap portion when said upper cap portion is removed so that a portion of said striking surface is exposed for use without removal from said lower cap portion.

2. A Waterproof match package comprising in combination a tubular waterproof container having an upper cap portion and a lower cap portion, said upper cap portion being closed at one end and open at the other, said lower cap portion being closed at one end and open at the other, said open ends of said upper and lower cap portions coactively threaded so that said upper and lower cap portions telescopically engage, each of said upper and lower cap portions having an axial cylindrical engaging surface and a substantially radial annular engaging surface at opposite terminal ends respectively of said coacting threads so that upon telescopic engagement of said upper cap portion with said lower cap portion an axial seal is formed between said axial cylindrical engaging surfaces and a radial seal is formed between said substantially radial annular engaging surfaces, said radial and axial seals being at opposite terminal ends of said coacting threads, at least one of said telescopically engaging threaded portions being composed of a resilient material, an open ended replaceable hollow tube telescopically fitted in said container and having an outer safety match striking surface, said tube being of sufficient length to project from said lower cap portion when said upper cap portion is removed, one end of said tube resting on the closed end of said lower cap portion, whereby a portion of said striking surface is exposed for use without removal from said lower cap portion.

3. A waterproof package comprising in combination a tubular waterproof container having an upper cap portion and a lower cap portion, said upper cap portion being closed at one end and open at the other, the open end being internally threaded and composed of an integral, resilient material, said threaded end terminating at one end in annular radial face portion and at the other end in a terminal lip, said lower cap portion being closed at one end and open at the other, said open end being externally threaded so as to mate with said internal threads of said upper cap portion, said externally threaded end terminating at one end in a flat annular face so that as the lower cap portion is threaded into the upper cap portion said flat annular face abuts said annular radial face portion of the upper cap and forms a water-tight seal therewith, said externally threaded end terminating at the other end in a shoulder having a diameter larger than the internal diameter of said terminal lip, said shoulder and lip, as the lower cap portion is threaded onto said upper cap portion, telescopically engaging so as to form a water-tight seal therebetween, an open ended hollow tube telescopically fitted in said container and having an outer striking surface, said striking surface being of sufficient length to project from said lower cap portion when said upper cap portion is removed, one end of said tube resting on the closed end of said lower cap portion, whereby a portion of said striking surface is. exposed for use without removal from said lower cap portion.

4. A waterproof package as set forth in claim 3 wherein said striking surface is adapted for safety matches and confronts and is adjacent to the interior of said lower cap port-ion.

(References on following page) References Cited '11 the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Brown Nov. 21, 1916 Bell July 24, 1923 Flynn Feb. 10, 1925 'Chiari et al. Sept. 22, 1925 Kaczorowski Nov. 3, 1925 Burkey et a1 June 1, 1926 6 Le =Rose Apr. 6, 1937 Bushman Mai. 20, 1945 MeGinmis July 20, 1954 Golds Ian. 23, 1962 Williams Mar. 20, 1962 Fox Mar. 12, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Aug. 1, 1934 

1. A WATERPROOF MATCH PACKAGE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A TUBULAR WATERPROOF CONTAINER HAVING AN UPPER CAP PORTION AND A LOWER CAP PORTION, SAID UPPER CAP PORTION BEING CLOSED AT ONE END AND OPEN AT THE OTHER, SAID LOWER CAP PORTION BEING CLOSED AT ONE END AND OPEN AT THE OTHER, SAID OPEN ENDS OF SAID UPPER AND LOWER CAP PORTIONS BEING ADAPTED TO TELESCOPICALLY ENGAGE, EACH OF SAID UPPER AND LOWER CAP PORTIONS HAVING AN AXIAL CYLINDRICAL ENGAGING SURFACE AND A SUBSTANTIALLY RADIAL ANNULAR ENGAGING SURFACE AT OPPOSITE TERMINAL ENDS RESPECTIVELY OF SAID TELESCOPICALLY ENGAGING PORTIONS SO THAT UPON TELESCOPIC ENGAGEMENT OF SAID UPPER CAP PORTION WITH SAID LOWER CAP PORTION AN AXIAL SEAL IS FORMED BETWEEN SAID AXIAL CYLINDRICAL ENGAGING SURFACES AND A RADIAL SEAL IS FORMED BETWEEN SAID SUBSTANTIALLY RADIAL ANNULAR ENGAGING SURFACES, SAID RADIAL AND AXIAL SEALS BEING AT OPPOSITE TERMINAL ENDS OF SAID TELESCOPICALLY ENGAGING PORTIONS, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID TELESCOPICALLY ENGAGING PORTIONS BEING COMPOSED OF A RESILIENT MATERIAL, AN OPEN ENDED REPLACEABLE HOLLOW TUBE TELESCOPICALLY FITTED IN SAID CONTAINER AND HAVING AN OUTER STRIKING SURFACE, SAID TUBE BEING OF SUFFICIENT LENGTH TO PROJECT FROM SAID LOWER CAP PORTION WHEN ONE END OF SAID TUBE RESTS ON THE CLOSED END OF SAID LOWER CAP PORTION WHEN SAID UPPER CAP PORTION IS REMOVED SO THAT A PORTION OF SAID STRIKING SURFACE IS EXPOSED FOR USE WITHOUT REMOVAL FROM SAID LOWER CAP PORTION. 